How you work with people?

[ClickBuster]

The question is addressed to people that hire other people to complete some work for them.

Andrew

[terry]

When I was running a design company from my basement I had 1 fulltime employee and contract out other work.. apparently I was real bossy and demaning. When I was Manager of a help desk for an online application I had 3 fulltime agents and two part timers.. they said I was easy going and relaxed most of the time but I still had a temper. haha. oh well. Now, I havent had any feedback from people I hire to do work for me, but I have this one designer that owes me work since lets see uhhh March I think. Everyday same story, its coming, its coming. Ya, whatever. I'll get it when I get it... or I will be posting the name and contact info here.

[juggernaut]

I tend to be bossy but thats only cause I only hire from the internet. And with time zones, language issues and getting my point across can be a bit of a pain. Once I do hire someone I find myself writing a book the night before they are to work on the project with all the things I want. Then there is always the tweeking stage, which i feel makes me the most bossy. Nothing is worse then being almost done and so close that you can taste it. But also knowing if you slac off at that point then everythign can go right in the shitter.

[SirMoby]

I can't select any of those since I want good quality work and I'm willing to pay a good price but the best will often cost 10 times that and often isn't 10 times better. I'm more concerned with a good value.

About 10 is the largest staff I've ever managed and what worked for me was always being straight and not really bossy. If something needed to be done now I stated that. If it didn't need to be done for 2 weeks I made that clear as well. When I ask people to jump through hoops I need it but I only push when it's needed.

[Outcast]

If money could solve all problems....

Business = people, if you pay for any work - someone will do it for you, not your money.
From my practice:
We hired a lot of people, sometimes we hire different people for one task(separate work). We payed different fee for the same job. You can tell - quality depending on sum payed. No!
You always need to have full control of the situation.
Thats why i choose:
"You're always bossy, because you want to make sure the job is always done the way you wanted to"

[pornodoggy]

People who have to be bossy - who have to prove they are the boss - more than every once in a great while either a) don't know how to select (hire) people; b) don't know how to manage people; c) bring a shitpot full of personal baggage to work with them every day; or d) all of the above.

[SirMoby]

Originally Posted by pornodoggy

People who have to be bossy - who have to prove they are the boss - more than every once in a great while either a) don't know how to select (hire) people; b) don't know how to manage people; c) bring a shitpot full of personal baggage to work with them every day; or d) all of the above.

You sound bitter

[Leon]

its a tricky question some people need to be beated with a stick to get the work done properly and some doing a great work without any Boss on their head, the trick is to understand how to treat who and get the job done on the best side

[Outcast]

Originally Posted by pornodoggy

People who have to be bossy - who have to prove they are the boss - more than every once in a great while either a) don't know how to select (hire) people; b) don't know how to manage people; c) bring a shitpot full of personal baggage to work with them every day; or d) all of the above.

Self-assertion and necessity to keep people in a working mood and to be firmly convinced your business goes the right way are very different things.
If the reason to be bossy is inferiority complex thats not so good
But if the reason is your secret wish to keep your business alive and to make a lot of $$ - thats the only one right way.
so
a) The quality of one`s work and his attitude to the business depend on the environment. You can hire anyone, he can be good or very good worker but if he feels that the only one man who control his work is himself - it will have an effect on quality and productivity of his work.
b) It doesnt mean that you need to bawl or beat your worker He just need to know, that "big brother is watching"
Also there can be different kinds of workers. Someone need to create idea, someone to make it true.
c) I have already said about difference between self-assertion and wish to have stable prosperous business.
d) all of the above

[tickler]

When I work as a boss with about 10-15 staff, I am pretty easy going. I do expect things to be done on time, and also done perfect(ha-ha). They know that I am not going to grind them into the ground, and that they will get the best that I can give them.

Personally I hate bosses who act like they think they're some higher form of being, or are MASTERS of Business Administration. Also the ones that do not understand the particular field can be a real pain in the backside.

[Opti]

Originally Posted by ClickBuster

The question is addressed to people that hire other people to complete some work for them.

Andrew

Ha!! look at that, at least 5 other people as bad as me Clickbuster!

Now get back to the salt mines. ;-)

[Raven]

Bossy sounds meanish....I prefer to think of it as making sure the project gets finished in a timely manner, while treating people with respect, as long as they are not fucking off...pardon my French. I find that my tone sets the mood...and, when I want something done, I try to communicate and anticipate that the person I am speaking with completely understands what I'm asking them to do. I give them opportunity to question and try to cover anything that could be misunderstood. Plus, I ask every day how things are going..are there problems? Progress? Anything needed? Staying in touch with those who do work for you is important....and approachability...that's essential...

I work hard. I expect hard work. And, as Sir Moby stated, I want value......that doesn't always mean spending more...it's spending smart.

[pornodoggy]

Originally Posted by SirMoby

You sound bitter

Not really.

I've had my share of incompetent bosses ... and I've taken jobs away from a couple of them.

I've been a boss, too - from college graduate professionals, high-end (off duty and retired cops) security guards and investigators, bank auditors/accounting folks, on "down" to janitors and carpet cleaners.

I neither work very well under, or function very well as, a micro-manager.

I have had success in managing people who've failed at previous jobs because nobody ever got out of their way and let them do it. I've also failed as a manager with people who have been successful elsewhere, but had nothing remotely resembling initiative.

If you take the hypothetical top five managers in any industry and polled them, you would come up with seven different management styles, some of them completely at odds one another.

[Raven]

I neither work very well under, or function very well as, a micro-manager.

I don't understand micro managing. There is usually more than one way, method, of getting things done.

It's energy wasting and time wasting.

If a person is hired to do a job, let them. I agree with you.

[ClickBuster]

I've worked with people that I find to be very wise. When shit happened they did get angry, I guess, but I could never tell, because they stood calm and explained me the situation. I learnt and tried to not do the same mistake again.

That made me understand that it's not about attitude, it's more about the sense of being positive and resonable and making so that all the work is done. It had nothing to do with total control and working on schedule - it was about everybody feeling happy all the time, but not from doing nothing, but from getting the job done.

Being calm, positive and reasonable - that's what I call being a wise boss and that really has nothing to do with how competent you're. People are always good at something and that's to be counted - being a good person is not a small thing, you know...

-- Andrew

[Greenguy]

I am so fucking anal that I pull my hair out at times (Jim....I'm looking in your direction)

I'm also a horrible teacher, as I can't seem to clearly state ideas & concepts to other people while they make perfect sense in my mind

[stuveltje]

mmmmmm i have many bosses lately, i call them boss to, only my bad attitude is i try to be boss over my boss....oke i know it sound shit, but there should be one person who knows what i mean at this hour for me oke bedtime here 00.38

[Raven]

One of the many reasons I work from my computer is....people don't have to hear it when I do one of my 'rant and raves'.....my husband stands there so no one thinks I'm talking to myself. ...

Since I'm Russian and a redhead, that can be a deadly combination....but, I try very hard to scream it out in the garage, calm down, and then say what I have to say....which is then germane and to the point and will provide positive results.

[Useless]

Every time I see the title to this thread, all I can think of is: "Who does Number 2 work for?!"

[pornodoggy]

Originally Posted by Raven

One of the many reasons I work from my computer is....people don't have to hear it when I do one of my 'rant and raves'.....my husband stands there so no one thinks I'm talking to myself. ...

Since I'm Russian and a redhead, that can be a deadly combination....but, I try very hard to scream it out in the garage, calm down, and then say what I have to say....which is then germane and to the point and will provide positive results.

When I supervised a CS department at a credit card bank, I used to scare the shit out of a VP who would pass by our office. I'd be standing there with my headset on, "telling off" a customer. Of course, the customer had long since hung up the phone, and my headset was unplugged from the phone (you can probably guess WHY I unplugged it after every call).

He actually thought it was terribly inappropriate, but his boss would not let him do a damn thing about it. She was smart enough to realize that revenue from this group of merchants was up, retention of merchants was way up, absenteeism was way down. blah-blah-blah.

I've often suspected that a great number of adult webmasters brought home report cards marked "Needs Improvement" in works and plays well with others...

[SpeedyG]

Originally Posted by Greenguy

I'm also a horrible teacher, as I can't seem to clearly state ideas & concepts to other people while they make perfect sense in my mind

I second that

[Raven]

Originally Posted by pornodoggy

When I supervised a CS department at a credit card bank, I used to scare the shit out of a VP who would pass by our office. I'd be standing there with my headset on, "telling off" a customer. Of course, the customer had long since hung up the phone, and my headset was unplugged from the phone (you can probably guess WHY I unplugged it after every call).

He actually thought it was terribly inappropriate, but his boss would not let him do a damn thing about it. She was smart enough to realize that revenue from this group of merchants was up, retention of merchants was way up, absenteeism was way down. blah-blah-blah.

I've often suspected that a great number of adult webmasters brought home report cards marked "Needs Improvement" in works and plays well with others...

I think you and I have developed excellent methods for dealing with our own vulnerabilities. I can tolerate an act of stupidity. Hell, my father used to say that if he only made five mistakes a day, he was doing well...it's what you do AFTER you make the mistake that I have trouble tolerating.....so, it's best that I scream in the garage....because why should *I* have a heart attack....or your way, which is to scream into an already disconnected phone....good one, btw....and then deal with the person and situation without sounding rude or maniacal.

[pornodoggy]

Oh, I seldom screamed into the phone. There might have been suggestions that the customer concerned had a terribly inappropriate relationship with their mother, though ....